Superintendent's Newsletter
February 2025
February 12th was Marion Occupational Day for Grade 5 and 6 students at Sippican Elementary School. This year, students had the exciting opportunity to meet with experts and explore careers in law enforcement, finance, marine science, engineering, surgery, speech and physical therapy, education, nursing, and more, thanks to the generosity of VASE parent volunteers and community members. Occupational Career Day was designed to be a meaningful and purposeful experience. Dr. Fedorowicz and Ms. Cunningham were also able to share their experiences in education and human resources, enjoying the opportunity to connect with students and discuss career pathways in these fields. It was incredible to see students engaged and inspired as they connected with professionals, asked thoughtful questions, and discovered new possibilities for their futures. A heartfelt thank you to VASE and all of our dedicated parent volunteers, especially Ms. Hermenegildo, for making this event such a success. Your time and effort truly made a difference in creating a valuable learning experience for our students.
Sincerely,
Shari Fedorowicz
Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
The Old Rochester Regional School District & Superintendency Union #55 is pleased to continue their partnership with the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative to provide Community Talks. The upcoming presentation titled, The New IEP- A Session for Parents, has been rescheduled for March 24, 2025 at 6:30pm via zoom. This event provides the opportunity to gain valuable insights into the new document and its contents, which can significantly impact your child's education. Click here to register. A zoom link will be sent to all registrants.
Cape Cod Challenger Club Bowling
Free bowling with the Challenger Club at Ryan Family Amusements in Buzzards Bay every Sunday in March (2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th) from 1pm-2:30pm! Contact Andrew at andrew@capecodchallenger.org to register! All ages and abilities are welcome! To learn more about the Cape Cod Challenger Club’s Mission, please visit their website.
As we continue to roll out the new IEP this year, please use the link provided in the meeting invitation you receive to view the new document. If you have any questions, please contact Jaime Curley at jaimecurley@oldrochester.org or 508-758-2772, ext 1942.
It is extremely important for all of our schools to have the correct emergency contact information on file for each student. Be sure to update the emergency contacts for your student(s) in PowerSchool.Please note - parents/guardians are automatically emergency contacts, so there is no need to check the box for yourself. Please add additional individuals for your student(s) and check the emergency contact box for them.
As part of our Professional Development planning process, we invite you to provide your input to shape next year's Professional Development days for educators. This survey follows the District Strategic Plan, Vision 2028, and was developed with the collaboration of The Instructional Council Team, consisting of administrators and teachers. As we work toward preparing the 2025-2026 District-Wide Professional Development Plan, it is important to know the priorities of parents and guardians as we move forward. Your input is appreciated and valued as we begin looking at the next school year. Please complete this short survey by March 7th.
Each year, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education releases a report card for every school and district in the state. Similar to how a student's report card reflects their performance in various subjects, these school and district report cards are designed to provide families and the community with an overview of how schools are performing across different areas. The report cards highlight both the strengths of a school or district and areas that may require attention to ensure all students’ needs are being met. View district report cards here.
The 2025-2026 School Calendar was approved by the Joint School Committee earlier this month. We are grateful for the feedback received from stakeholders and the school committees' collaboration to approve next year's calendar. Click here to view the calendar.
Two talented artists from ORRHS are being celebrated for their artwork in the Emerging Young Artists and Designers 2025 Juried Exhibition. Works by juniors Alexis Barber and Dayvie Zuckerman were among 103 entries chosen from 800 pieces submitted by high school students around New England. Read more.
During the week before February Vacation, all Junior High Latin and Spanish students celebrated World Language week by participating in various learning games and activities to recognize and honor a number of world cultures. Read more.
Old Hammondtown School also won a Feinstein Foundation Golden Ticket! Congratulations to 5th grader Thomas Cooney. OHS will recieve $5,000 and Thomas decided to donate the $500 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to honor is "Yaya". Read more.
ORRHS senior Michael Hogan achieved a perfect score of 300 in a game of bowling at Wonder Bowl in New Bedford on Feb. 18 during school vacation. He rolled 12 consecutive strikes, a feat few bowlers accomplish, while his father, Jim Hogan, cheered him on and captured the final moments on video. Read more.
Recently, our school committees have been working on the FY2026 budget proposals for each town. They have approved many grants and donations from organizations such as the Mattapoisett Land Trust, Cape Cod 5 and the Feinstein Foundation. Click here for the complete schedule, meeting resources and minutes. Upcoming meetings (subject to change):
March 11th - Marion School Committee
March 13th - Mattapoisett School Committtee
March 20th - Rochester School Committee
March 27th - ORR School Committee
This mobile app allows families to receive targeted, real-time updates right at their fingertips regarding school happenings. Families can filter content, calendars and settings unique to one building or all.
Search ORRconnect in the app store or use the links from your mobile device.
ORRconnect is also on Facebook!
Like us on Facebook to stay up-to-date with school happenings.
You can follow all of our schools on Facebook too!